Resilient heel



atentecl July 281, 1936 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to heels for shoesV and it has for its object the provision of an elastic heel hollowed or grooved on the back and sides between the top and bottom faces in such manner as to provide a thin or substantially feather edge with the top face of the heel whereby when it is ntted to a shoe, the feather edge may be readily trimmed with a knife by those inexpert in the art of shoe repairing in such manner as to make a presentable job.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heel of the type described which can be attached by the user to the shoe by means of cementing, the thin edges being readily trimmed with an ordinary pocket knife eliminating finishing by a bufiing machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a resilient heel, the sides and back of which terminate in a thin edge at the top whereby one size of heel may be fitted to several sizes of shoe by the mere act of trimming as above indicated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an elastic heel having a deep groove furrowing its side and back faces whereby the resiliency of the peripheral portions of the heel at the sides and back is increased, enhancing the resiliency of the heel and improving its shock absorbing capacity.

A still further object of the invention in a heel of the class described is to provide a relatively thin intermediate horizontal section or neck permitting the bottom of the heel to twist relative to the top in both a lateral and rearward direction so that regardless of the tendency of the foot to turn inside or outside or the tendency of the walker to pound on the rear portion of the heel, the latter will always present its entire ilat surface to the pavement, preventing the heel being worn, over to one side or at the back.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of preferred and practical embodiments thereof proceed.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification and throughout the several ngures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe illustrating. a heel embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

of the invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical section takenalong the line 5 5 of Figure 4; and Y A Figure 6 is a plan view of the heel shown in 5 Figure 4.

Referring now in detail to the several iigures and first adverting to that form of the invention shown in the groupkof Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the numeral I represents the heel which as shown 10 is of substantially the same superficial area atY the top face 2 and bcttomface 3. The front face 4 of the heel is vertical as is customary in the art and as shown at 5 in Figure 2, it curves concavely. No novelty of invention is attributed to this Vfront face of the heel.

Figures l and 3 show that a deep peripheraly groove 6 lextends along thelateral and back faces of the shoe. For the purpose of carryingout the invention, quite a deep groove is essential and while the invention is not restricted to any particular depth or shape of groove, a groove the sides of which converge at an acute angle is found most efficient in function.

The groove 6 is so situated that its upper side 25 intersects the plane of the top face of the heel forming at the sides and back of the heel a thin or substantially feather edge -'I. The top of the heel is designed to be cemented to the shoe in the position indicated at Figure 1. If then, any portion of the thin edge l projects beyond the edge of the shoe, it is an easy matter to trim the thin edge away so as to make the heel conform to the shoe, by crude means such as an ordinary pocket knife or a razor blade without any particular skill on the part of the user. Since the entire side and back faces of the heel do not have to be cut away, a neat job can be done without the use of a bufng or finishing machine.

The provision of the thin edge 'l and the facility by which it may be trimmed, makes it possible for one size of heel to be tted to several sizes of shoe, it being merely necessary to trim away more or less of the thin-edge 1 as the case 45 may require, This is of advantage since it enables the retailer to stock only one-third as many sizes as he had to Where each heel nts a particular sized shoe and no other size.

It is apparent from a contemplation of Figures 1 `and 3 that the provision of the peripheral groove about three sides of the heel forms a relatively narrow intermediate portion or neck 8. When the pressure of the foot is put upon this heei, it is obvious that the foot can be twisted Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modied form Y tending edges, but on the contrary its upper face is less :thanY thelarea of Yitsvbottomp1ace `being off-set v such a Vmanneras to bring either the inner orV Vouter edge ofthe heel against the pavement, the

fromrone side to the other andV that the'upper face 2 ofthe heel will assume different degrees of -angularity both in a lateral direction and in arear direction Withrespect to the lower face 3 ofthe `heel. Thus, if the foot isput down in super-flexibilityrof theintermediate portion or neck will cause the heel to twist planting the entirerflatj lower face against the sidewalk. This f prevents the heel being Worn laterally orl at the back'which is a common fault withfmost heels;

VThe thinness of the cross section in the intermediate VpartY of the heel also increases its resiliency and adds to its shock absorbing properties, while the fact that that portionoi` the foot which is above the groove 6 is unsupported, re-

lievesrthe extending edges oflthe, lower portion'v ofthe heel from excessive pressure and onsef4 Vquently,` minimizes wear on these portions'and' lengthens the life ofV the heel.

v Fi es 4, 5, and show a modiied form of the inventionfin whichvthatportion ofV the heel con-V stituting the thin edges in Figures l, 2and 3 is entirely done awayvwithvand the heel 9 has no eX- 'inwardly sofas-to form the grooveV 0r channel I9 around theffrontfand sides of the heel.V This heelisdeSigned tobe applied by cementing it to shoes vwhich-are larger than Ythe upper faceV of the-heel.V Thus,no trimming is necessary. At

1east'thre`si`vzes ofv hee1 should be provided to coverthe entirerange in the sizes of shoes, one

heelfbeing Aadaptable for several consecutiveV sizes of shoe smaller than itself. Thisheel has all the attributesgof ythe heell shown in` Figures Y' 1, 2y-rand 3. The presence ofA thel groove l0- decreases the cross section in horizontal planes Yintersecting said groove, thus increasing theresiliency and shock absorbing property of the heel. The relatively large area ofthe lowerv face of the heel affords ample support for the foot, while the thin cross section at a distance above'the bottom face of the heel permits the VtwistingY action referred to in connection with'Figures 1, 2, and

3 which Vprevents the bottom face ofthe heel beingrworn oi on eitherisride or at the'backV of the shoe. Y l Y Y It is contemplated that the heel may be made of rubber or Arubber composition or any resilient composition having properties similar to those of rubber, y *Y Y WhilerI have inthe above described what 1 believe toy Vbe preferred rand practical embodiv ments of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the details of con-V` struction are by Way of example, and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention asgclaimed. Y Y Y Y What I claim is; l:

Resilient heel havinga groove in ythe lateral Y1 andrear faces,Y the sides of which converge Vat an` acute Vanglefgtlna` upper side of said groove forming with the -topface of said heelrelatively thin edges,V and the lower `faceof said groove forming with the bottom face a relatively broad base, said heel being designedkforattachment to a shoe by cement-,applied to the upper face, the thin edge,

being ladapted "to Vbe trimmed Vto conform toa shoe, the reduced horizontal lsection of said heelbetweensail upper face Aand base permitting sidewise and rear deflection of said baseunder the f initial ,pressure of the foot against the pavement whereby the entire survfaeof said base contacts the pavement preventing 1Vlocalized wear at the side and rear portions ofsaid base.Y Y

- Y VOSCAR*VBROCKMAN. 

